The original composition "Khosara, Khosara" was created by Baligh Hamdy and recorded for use in the 1960 Egyptian film "Fata Ahlami," according to the publication.

One of his children, Osama Ahmed Fahmy, is the plaintiff in the case that names Jay-Z, EMI Publishing, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, UMG Recordings and others.

Jay-Z and his team believe they had the license to use the music, Hollywood Reporter said.

But Fahmy says the license would have only been for "economic rights" for reproduction, performance or distribution of the music "without alteration."

Egyptian copyright law also grants "moral rights" to copyrighted work, and the plaintiffs believe that Jay-Z needed different permission to sample, loop and add lyrics to the music.

The Hollywood Reporter says the defendants tried to waive the lawsuit by saying U.S. courts don't have subject matter jurisdiction over Egyptian "moral rights." But Judge Christina Snyder says there is standing to bring the case and is allowing further fact-finding to determine "whether the use of 'Khosara Khosara' was outside the scope of the licenses at issue."